Automations are firm-wide rules that run independently of any one kind of work. This lesson covers the When / Only if / Then editor and how to build your first rule.
Before you start
- Manager access or above — automations require the 'manage automations' permission
What automations are
An automation is a rule that does routine work when something happens. They live in Settings › How your work runs › Automations, a manager-and-above area. The Automations tab lists every rule as one sentence with its last run, an On switch and a ⋯ menu, beside a Last 7 days summary. Automations are separate from a stage's own actions — they can react to events across all matters, not just one stage, and the stage actions from your kinds of work are listed there read-only.
The When / Only if / Then structure
The editor is a drawer in four parts. When is the trigger — the event that starts the rule. Only if holds optional conditions: all of them must pass, and leaving it empty means the rule always runs when triggered. Then is the ordered list of steps that run. Test tries the rule on a matter without sending or changing anything. Every part works before the first save: adding a condition or a step saves the rule, switched off, until you turn it on.
Triggers and actions
The When picker offers 30 triggers, each named for what happens: "When you run it yourself", "When a matter is opened", "When a matter's details change", "When a matter moves to another stage", "When a field changes", "When a key date arrives", "When a task is added", "When a task is done", "When a task becomes overdue", "When a document is added", "When someone is added to a matter", "When a form is submitted", "When an email about the matter arrives", "When the client finishes a document request", "When the client's documents are checked and accepted", "When a document is signed", "When a payment is received", "When a deadline found in a document is confirmed", "When a matter is closed", "On a schedule", "When time has passed since something happened", "When another system calls in (webhook)", plus triggers for leads moving through your lead stages. A schedule can be hourly, daily, weekly or monthly. When you add a step, the picker offers 26 actions: Update a matter detail, Move the matter to a step, Update the matter, Add a contact to the matter, Create a task, Complete a task, Send an email, Notify the team, Request documents from the client, Remind the client about anything outstanding, Invite the client to the portal, Add a key date, Add a calendar entry, Generate a document, Send the prepared document for signature, Assign the lead, Schedule a lead follow-up, Move the lead to a stage, Book a consultation, Add a note to the lead, Create a folder on the lead, Run an AI agent, Wait a set time, Wait until…, Ask a person to approve, Start another process. Admins can also show advanced actions, such as sending a webhook to another system.
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Open Automations
Go to Settings › Automations. Click New automation to build one by hand, or start from a template; a firm with none yet sees 'Put routine work on autopilot' with its templates.
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Build a When / Only if / Then rule
In the editor, pick the trigger under When. Add conditions under Only if (all must pass; leave it empty to always run) and steps under Then; steps run in order and can be reordered. Try it under Test, then turn the rule on.
Tips & pitfalls
- A test never sends or changes anything, so try a rule on a real matter before you turn it on.
- Each rule reads as a sentence on the list, so a clear trigger and first step make your whole set easy to scan later.
Key takeaways
- Automations are firm-wide rules in Settings › Automations (manager+)
- Every rule is When (trigger) / Only if (conditions, all must pass) / Then (ordered steps), with a Test
- The editor offers 30 trigger types and 26 standard actions
Put the lesson into practice.
Book a guided session and our team will help you configure MatterFirst for your own practice.
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